A US woman who shot and killed her husband and two adult children before taking her own life is thought to have committed the shocking crime as a result of being ostracised from the religion she was raised in.

Every time I tell a mate I’m doing a story on cryptocurrency, they invariably ask me the same two questions: should they invest their own hard-earned money, and which cryptocurrency will get them a Lamborghini/yacht/island quickest?

Labor warns more aid cuts on the agenda

Australia's aid budget faces an overhaul and Labor fears that will mean more cuts to overseas assistance for the world's poorest people.

The federal government has vowed to enforce accountability in the aid budget and is developing performance benchmarks to ensure successful programs are first in line for funding.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will release this new framework linking performance with funding shortly after the budget, but won't discuss details until then.

However, she has made it clear the government wants to help the private sector drive economic growth in developing nations, believing this "aid for trade" approach is the best way to reduce poverty.

Labor is sceptical and warns jargon cannot hide the fact that cuts to programs in health and education will hurt vulnerable people.

"Abbott government slogans like 'new paradigm' and 'economic diplomacy' are designed to obscure the government's cuts to the aid program," opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said in a statement.

The government announced before the election it would pare back the aid budget by $4.5 billion over four years, calling Labor's spending on overseas aid reckless and unsustainable.